An Analysis of Mind Mapping Technique to Improve Students’ Speaking Skills

Abstract

This study was part of the community engagement program carried out at one of the vocational schools in Surakarta. It aimed to improve the students' ability to answer Job Interviews in English. English for Job Interview subject was given to prepare students to be ready and able to face job interview tests. This was an effort by ISP Cruise Ships and Hotel School to produce quality and work-ready human resources. The preparation stage of this study contained primary coordination, field observations, and the development of the teaching method. The implementation consisted of six meetings and interactive workshops. Initial evaluations indicated that participants still faced difficulties in speaking English. However, the instructor suggested to focus only on the job interview. To overcome the difficulties mentioned, proper learning techniques were necessary to help the students improve the quality of interview answers. Mind Mapping helped students to produce spoken language in an organized and easy-to-remember way. Mind mapping also allowed students to expand their vocabulary and connect them with images, which helped them remember and convey meaning easily in certain contexts. After applying the Mind Mapping technique, students were more focused on providing answers.